Trump plans to talk to allies before Syria strike decision

President Donald Trump has put off a final decision on possible military strikes against Syria after tweeting earlier that they could happen “very soon or not so soon at all.” The White House said Thursday he would consult further with allies.(Photo by Michael Vadon/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has put off a final decision on possible military strikes against Syria after tweeting earlier that they could happen “very soon or not so soon at all.” The White House said Thursday he would consult further with allies.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis warned such an attack carried the risk of spinning out of control, suggesting caution ahead of a decision on how to respond to an attack against civilians last weekend that U.S. officials are increasingly certain involved the use of banned chemical weapons. British officials said up to 75 people were killed.

Although Mattis noted that military action carried risks, he also emphasized that Syrian use of chemical weapons should not be tolerated.